Its a question that has haunted our clich'ed hindi movies for decades now.(Remember maine pyar kiya!!)

Ask the stereotype "ladki ke papa" and ladki ke bhai" and they will tell you.. of course not.. a gal and a guy can never be friends!!

Ask a stero typical orkut "make friendship with me" kinda guy and he will tell you.. "God I hope not.. dosti to sirf shurwaat hai.."

Ask a beautiful gal from school/college (who has about 6 loosers standing behind her staring at her hopelessly) and she will tell you.. "of course they can be friends.. she has 6 guys who are just her friends"

Ask a philosopher and he will tell you. "ladka aur ladki kya.. is duniya mein koi kissi ka dost nahin hota"

Ask my friend's wife (the philosopher, whose name i wont quote) who has more guy frens than gals.. and she will give a sly smile and say.. "of course.. i can be 'just frens" with another guy"

Ask two frens who have known each other for 10 years.. and they will say.. "of course.. look at the both of us.. we have been friends for 10 yrs.." then ask them if they had that "awkward moment" ever... and their throats will suddenly go dry.

This question will generate many intersting responses based on your sample size and type. But what is really the absolute truth.

I know I will be hunted down by female activists and the representatives of "generation next" for saying this.. but a gal and a guy can never be "just friends" unless one or both of them are seeing some one else.

There will always come a time.. when the awkward silence creeps in... when his/her's perfume makes you go dizzy in a way that is completely foriegn to you.. When you wake up one day.. realizing... how you have been in love with your best friend...forever!! (best friend of opposite sex hopefully)

There will be times when one will cry about a broken relationship and the other will unknowingly become the pillar of support. The kind of suppor that one looks for in a life partner but seldom finds it.

Let the debate begin. :)